Attachment for hay-tracks.



M. HOLLOWELL.

ATTACHMENT'FOR HAY TRAC-KS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 21.1915.

1 1 74,420. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

In uemor flfforneys,

THB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO., WASHINGTON, D. C.

MELVIN HOLLOWELL, 0F NORWALK, IOWA.

ATTACHMENT FOR HAY-TRACKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 21, 1915. Serial No. 41,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MnLvn. HoLLownLL, a I

citizen of the United States, and resident of Norwalk, in the county ofWarren and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and usefulAttachment for Hay-Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

It is commonly known that in the installation of hay tracks in barns andthe like, it is desirable to have one end of the track project beyondthe end of the barn, and where the tracks do so project the builderfaces the problem of suitable means for supporting and bracing suchprojecting end.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for tracks ofthis kind of simple, durable and inexpensive construction, whereby theprojecting end of the track may be properly supported, and also may beheld rigidly in line and against twisting or bendmg.

A further object is to provide such an attachment including a pair ofplates properly constructed for frictionally gripping between them thetrack at any point in its length, connected with proper supporting rodsfor holding the track against the greatest strain imposed thereon, whichis the downward strain and also for holding the track against lateraltwisting movement.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combinationof the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims,and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a barn or similar structure in whichis a hay track equipped with an attachment embodying my invention. Fig.2 shows a front elevation of the track and the attachment installedthereon. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 4 shows atop or plan view of the attachment.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate the upper portion of the front end of the barn. Suitablymounted in the barn is a track extending forwardly from the barn andcomprising the upwardly and downwardly extending members 11 and 12 andthe central opposite laterally extending members 13. The upper portion11 has at its upper part a ball 14 forming the track on which thecagerUns;

It is understood that the track projects forwardly from the barn topermit hay to be raised and then drawn into the barn. In order toproperly support the projecting end of the track, I have provided myimproved attachment, which comprises a plate 15 havmg a central,longitudinal, upwardly extending rib 17in which is an opening 18. Thelower surface of the plate 15 is provided with a central longitudinalgroove 19 to receive the upper portion 11 of the track.

The plate 15 is provided on each side of the portion 17 with a pair ofspaced openings 20 to receive bolts. The openings 20 are so located thatthe bolts extended through them will just clear the portions 13 of thetrack. The plate 15 is also provided with larger openings 21 spaced fromeach other on the transverse median line of the plate to receive therods hereinafter referred to. A coacting plate 22 is provided having aflat'upper surface provided with a longitudinal groove 23 in its centralportion adapted to receive the portion 12 of the track. The plate 22 isnarrower from side to side than the plate 15, and is pro- Patented Mar.'7, 1916.

vided with openings similar to the openings 20 to register therewith.The plates are adj acent to each other, as shown in Fig. 2, with thetrack received between them, as shown, and are bolted together by meansof bolts 24 and and nuts 25. It will be seen that the means forconnecting the two plates are adjustable, so that the plates may be usedwith tracks of different sizes so that the frictional engagement betweenthe track and the plates may be made as firm as desired.

The plates are installedon the track at the proper distance from thebarn, and in this connection attention is called to the advantage ofhaving the plates connected with the track by frictional engagement,whereby they may be secured at any point in the length of the track, sothat my improved attachment may be used on tracks located at differentheights from the top of the barn and extending different distances fromthe front of the barn. v

For securing the attachment in position for thereby rigidly supportingthe track and preventing its twisting and lateral movement, I haveprovided a rod 26 having at its lower end a hook 27 at the end of whichis a slightly upturned part 28. The hook 27 is adapted to enter theopening 18. The upper end of the hook 27 is pivotally secured to a yoke2-9 fastened to the end of the ridge pole or central part of the roof ofthe barn or the like. Other rods .30 are adapted to be inclinedoutwardly and laterally from the plates 15 and 22 and are provided attheir lower ends with hooks 31. The holes 30 in the plate 15 and thehooks 31 are so arranged that the hooks can be inserted from the doorway where the builder cannot reach the plates. The rodsSO are then swungup to proper position, without necessity for scaffolding or the like,and secur d to the upper ends of the rafters in any suitable way.

It will be seen by varying the position of the points 33 where the rods30 are secured to the rafters the attachment may be adjustedto suit theposition of the track and the pitch of the barn roof. It will also benoted that the rods 30 are not only inclined laterally from the plates15 and 22, but also toward the front of the barn, and that on account orthe fact that the member 31 is vertical, the members 30 can be swung toproper position without di-tficulty.

it will readily be seen that my device may be used for supporting theouter end of a litter carrier track or the like, by adjusting the lengthand points of attachment of the members 26 and 30. Sufficient play ofthe parts is allowed to permit slight turning of the track, but notsufficient to permit swinging the track out of line, or seriouslytwisting it. It may be mentioned that tracks of this type are hung toswing slightly to allow a straight feed on the carrier and the parts ofmy device are arranged to permit such swing. This is accomplished byallowing the upper plate to slide or turn slightly .on ,the hookmembers. This allows suiiicient flexibility of the device to protect thetrack.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my improved device without departing from its essent1alfeatures and purposes, and it is .my intent to cover by this applicationany such changes which may be included within the scope of my claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a. device of the class described, a clamp for .a track including amember hav ing an upwardly extending lug, openings in said member, rodshaving hook members to enter said openings, said rods and openings beingarranged to permit the member to move on the rods to permit tilting ofthe track.

2. In a device of the class described, a plate, having on its uppersurface a central upwardly extending lug provided with an opening andhaving in its lower surface a groove to receive part of a track, asecond plate having in its upper surface a groove to receive part of atrack, means for adjustably securing said plates together for gripping atrack between them, said plates having on opposite sides of saidgrooves, openings to receive supporting rods, rods extended through saidopenings having parts for engaging the under surfaces of the upperplate.

3. In a device of the class described, an

upper plate having in its lower surface a groove to receive part of atrack, a lower plate the upper surface of which i designed to engagetrack, means for adjustablysecuring said. plates together for gripping atrack between them, means for securing the central portion of the upperplate to a support and detachable means for securing the sides of bothplates to a support.

Des Moines, Iowa, July 3, 1915.

MELVIN HOLLOl VELL. vl itnesses A. G. HAGUE, J. Marina.

flopies ,of this patent may be obtained. .for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, -Washington, D. C.

